[Y]oung Writers Project, an independent nonprofit based in Burlington, engages young people to write and use digital media to express themselves with clarity and power, and to gain confidence and skills for school, the workplace and life.
Check out the most recent issue of The Voice, Young Writers Project’s monthly digital magazine. Click here.
Each week, VTDigger features a writing submission – an essay, poem, fiction or nonfiction – accompanied by a photo or illustration from Young Writers Project.
YWP publishes about 1,000 students’ work each year here, in newspapers across Vermont, on Vermont Public Radio and in YWP’s monthly digital magazine, The Voice. Since 2006, it has offered young people a place to write, share their photos, art, audio and video, and to explore and connect online at youngwritersproject.org. For more information, please contact Susan Reid at sreid@youngwritersproject.org.
“I was inspired to write this poem because I want to raise awareness and build empathy for the lives of Muslim people by non-Muslims living in Vermont. I want to make a change in people’s judgment of other people for their religion. No one has the right to judge or treat people badly just for that… We all have different beliefs, but in the end we are all human. I want this poem to educate people to be more accepting and respectful of everyone for who they are.” – Dalya Almogalli, of Burlington, who is a student at Edmunds Middle School.
Proud to Be a Muslim Woman
By Dalya Almogalli, 14
[J]udge us because we’re Muslim.
Call us “terrorists” because we’re Muslim.
Think we dress like clowns because we’re Muslim.
Scared of us because we’re Muslim.
Treat us like animals because we’re Muslim.
Think we are violent because we’re Muslim.
But all of these negative thoughts and hate won’t destroy us –
because we are faithful, strong, and loving.
Don’t judge us because we’re Muslim.
We are not “terrorists” because we’re Muslim.
We dress beautifully because we’re Muslim.
We are not scary because we’re Muslim.
We are not animals because we’re Muslim.
We are peaceful because we’re Muslim.
I’m proud to be a Muslim woman.
